I've been using a FT-950 for the past 3 years and love the radio on SSB. My only complaint is they used mechanical T/R relay and on CW it is not a radio that you can put headphones on and do CW with people sleeping. The relay is that loud, on QSK it sounds like a teletype. I should add CW is about 10% of my operating but want to increase that.

I am coming into some extra cash and thinking of upgrade to a mid level radio. I like the looks of the 7600 much better than the 3000 but it is 5 year old technology. Does anyone own both and can tell me which is better and what you like better about its features / performance.

I know the K3 beats both but when you add the options the others come with plus a p3 it is more than I want to spend. Looking to stay in the 3500 to 3800 ballpark tops. If there is another I should consider please let me know. Thanks

I have not used a FTdx 3000 but I have used a IC-7600 but only for a short period of time. People claim it's almost as good as the IC-7700 which I really like on side band. The 7600 I used didn't sound as good as the 7700 but it may very well needed some tweeking of the settings.Rob Sherwood talked a bit about the FTdx 3000 during his presentation at the CTU this year. Although he liked the receiver performance, he very much disliked the ergonomics, especially in SSB. Changing the output power level during SSB operation requires 4 actions of the operator. Furthermore, it is said that the bandscope on the 3000 is practically useless.

Keep in mind that for side band operation you don't need a super selective receiver. Furthermore, transceivers are not computers. A 5 year old computer is considered ancient but that is not the same with transceivers.I would spend my money on the Icom.

Well it took under 2 hours for the K3 sales team to arrive. No matter what radio you would like to get advice on purchasing the K3 some how becomes the better alternative.

Well I gotta give you guys credit you stated the K3 is a better radio than a 990 so I guess it's better than everything on the Planet! . To the Op I say run from this thread and never look back!. It will soon be K3 central and answers to your original question will soon be plowed under the QRM.

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“A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.” (Mark Twain)

I like the specs for the FTDX-3000. I`m seriously considering it for my next rig. Other owners say its receiver noise floor is so low you have to check to see if your antenna is connected. The new FT-1200 sounds good also.

I have had a 7600, and currently have a TS-590 and K3 and love them both.

I had the 7600 for over a year but, being primarily a cw op, I thought it's Rx was mediocre at best - both the K3 and TS-590 are much better and have superior filtering.

I played with the 3000 a bit and liked it. I think it's ergonomics are as bad as anything else (all rigs are clumsy in some manner) and the scope on the 3000 is as useless as the 7600-no better no worse, but the 3000 has IF output and 7600 does not.

I did notice the IF out jack and that is a big plus. I must say right now I am leaning heavily toward the 3000. The more I read the better I like it. Then again including HTs and Qrp I do have five radios and four of them are Yaesu. They treat me well, I have had to repair every Icom I have owned (just lucky I guess) so that does play in my mind as well. May have to go to AES and look at them.

I owned a FT-2000D before I bought my K3, I thought the ergonomics of the 2000D was the best I'd ever used. If the 3000 is similarly designed, that would be a big plus. I loved operating that rig. But was disappointed with its performance

I have found the CW to be just about as good as any other Radio I have used, it may not be the best of the best but it's going to be really hard to hear the differences. The CW auto tune and APF are also nice features.

Ergonomics are first rate. All the things you would use on a day to day basis are right in front of you with a Logical button or knob placement and then you have 50 or 60 other less used features that can be accessed via a very clear menu layout.

2x USB ports that do both Rig control and Audio output/Input.

RTTY and PSK31 built in decoder/Waterfall and TX via a plug in USB keyboard. The RTTY is true FSK.

Upgradable Firmware.

Customizable Noise Blanker

TX Audio is very very good, you can really customize it. Rx Audio is also very good but the built in speaker is SO SO, I would use and external speaker.

Three Roofing Filters

Anyway, I think both Radios are good. I suggest along with the reading you have been doing see them in the flesh, if thats not possible then look for some good video reviews on youtube.

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“A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.” (Mark Twain)

I was in the same boat, I liked the IC7600, there dsp is great on that ring but $3.5K was IMO a little more than I wanted to invest so I bought the TS590, hey I was trying to get the best bang for the buck but after trying to get the audio on ssb to sound like my old MP I sold it and bought the FTDX3K. I also looked at the K3 but the two time's I had been using that rig I really didn't like the SSB audio at all, I like some rag chew and some DX and once Yaesu put that sale on the 3K I went and ordered one up. Yes I had seen the dayton Rob Sherwood talk but really he is a CW guy not to much of a SSB guy and for the way the 3K came outa the box it more than good enough for CW but shines on SSB both RX&TX, the DSP is as good as the IC7700 I test drove a year ago and right up there with a buddies IC7600 only slightly behind the FT5K but not by much IMO. The ARRL lab number are good plus the second order IMD tested as good as almost the two top Icom rigs. As far as the band scope goes I find it more than good enough even without the last firmware update. Would I consider the Icom, well maybe but for what they ask for that rig I just don't see the value, it's over a kilobuck more and I would rather spend the extra money's on a better antenna cause the RX/TX just doesn't give you any more for your extra dollar. The 3K also has a nice three band EQ that work's real well plus the RX side has a real low noise floor. The only thing that I find a pain is Yaesu is taking there sweet ass time on the $100 rebate program but the rig is FB here. As far as the 3K next to the TS590 well I had them both side by side for a week or so, after a week I boxed up the kenwood, yes I know the lab numbers on the 590 were slightly better but IMO the Yaesu did a better job on bot RX and TX and the DSP is way faster like the DSP NR is so much better than the 590's DNR, every aspect of the Yaesu's DSP was much better than the 590 and more like the better Icom's. As far as the control layout its allot better, this is were I have to give the Icom a slight edge but although many fell the K3 is king just sit behind it for a day, that friggin rig would drive me nuts, way to many multi function controls and button's plus it's like the 590 way to small of a box rig were the Yaesu is just the right size and the roofing filter's in the 3K work and work real well. I don't do allot of CW but the CW T one note is the cleanest I have heard in a long time from a radio, it makes me wanna copy CW again, nothing scratchy or tinny, its got a real clean audio amp on RX and that shows up on both SSB and CW. Enjoy whatever you buy and be happy which ever way you go.JimKE2TR

I've been using a FT-950 for the past 3 years and love the radio on SSB. My only complaint is they used mechanical T/R relay and on CW it is not a radio that you can put headphones on and do CW with people sleeping. The relay is that loud, on QSK it sounds like a teletype. I should add CW is about 10%

John, I'm really surprised to see this comment. I've had an FT-950 for around 2 years and 80% of my operating is CW. (RTTY is another 19%) I've never noticed or been bothered by loud mechanical relays. I'm wondering if something might be wrong (or misadjusted) with your 950.

Are there any other FT-950 owners who have this problem?

PS, John: We BOTH really need to get K3s before that mob of villagers with pitchforks and torches catches up with us.

I have seen at least one review that mentioned they should have used solid state relays.I may have exaggerated a bit but it sounds like the clicks of using a strait key when the house is quiet, other radios I have owned in the past (756 proII, Jupiter, 7000, 897) were much quieter.

Well it took under 2 hours for the K3 sales team to arrive. No matter what radio you would like to get advice on purchasing the K3 some how becomes the better alternative.

Well I gotta give you guys credit you stated the K3 is a better radio than a 990 so I guess it's better than everything on the Planet! . To the Op I say run from this thread and never look back!. It will soon be K3 central and answers to your original question will soon be plowed under the QRM.

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